Beach–dune interactions on the dry–temperate Danube delta coast

Beach–dune seasonal elevation changes, aeolian sand transport measurements, bathymetric surveys and shoreline evolution assessments were used to investigate annual and seasonal patterns of dune development on Sfântu Gheorghe beach, the Danube delta coast, from 1997 to 2004. Dune volume increased consistently (1.96 m³ m^− 1 y^− 1 to 5.1 m³ m^− 1 y^− 1) over this 7-year period with higher rates in the southward (downdrift) direction. Dune aggradation is periodically limited by storms, each of which marks a new evolutionary phase of the beach–dune system. As a consequence of the variable beach morphology and vegetation density during a year, foredune growth occurs during the April–December interval while between December and April a slightly erosive tendency is present. The pattern of erosion and deposition shown by the topographical surveys is in good agreement with the sand transport measurements and demonstrates the presence of a vigorous sand flux over the foredunes which is 20–50% smaller than on the beach. This high sand flux, due to low precipitation and sparse vegetation cover, creates an aerodynamically efficient morphology on the seaward dune slope. The seaward dune face accretes during low to medium onshore winds (5.5–12 m s^− 1) and erodes during high winds (> 12 m s^− 1).     

风蚀影响因子的敏感性试验

 对风蚀模式的各重要影响因子进行了敏感性试验，结果表明：①随风力的增大，跃动沙粒的粒径范围迅速增大，从而会使更多、更大的尘粒因受到更强烈的撞击作用而释放于空中。但随土壤水分和植被覆盖度的增加，跃动沙粒粒径范围会变窄，较大的粒子很难被激发到空中。②各种土壤沙流通量及尘粒释放率随粒径的变化趋势Q(d)和F(d)与相应的地表土壤有效粒度分布Ps(d)具有相似的特征，说明前人用近地层沙尘粒度分布来代表地表土壤的有效粒度分布是合理的。③若以总沙流通量Q>0.5 g·m^-1·s^-1为风蚀过程开始发生的标准，在干燥、裸露的情况下，沙土、沙壤土、壤土、黏土和粉黏土表面发生风蚀的临界摩擦速度都约为0.3 m·s^-1。相同风力条件下（u*=0.6 m·s^-1），若地表干燥（w=0）并忽略小于0.1 g·m^-1·s^-1的总沙流通量，则抑制5种土壤发生风蚀的最小植被覆盖度分别约为：沙土0.35、沙壤土0.45、壤土0.45、黏土0.55、粉黏土0.55；若地表裸露，抑制风蚀发生的最小水分含量分别为：沙土0.15、沙壤土0.18、壤土0.3、黏土0.36和粉黏土0.33。④通常情况下沙土最不易起尘，它在各个粒径的尘粒释放率比其他土壤均约小3~5个量级。粉黏土最易起尘，且粒径较小，较容易传输到下游很远处。⑤总尘粒释放率F和总沙流通量Q随风力、地表条件的变化一般是同相的，即Q增大，F也会增大。⑥一般情况下F随摩擦速度u*的增大或植被覆盖度cf和土壤水分w的减小而增大；土壤拖曳系数sx和弹性压力垂直分量pye的增加会大大降低尘粒释放率。⑦通常风蚀情况下，5种土壤中粉黏土和沙壤土因聚合粒子破碎产生的尘粒释放率Fc最大，Fc随风力、地表条件变化的敏感度也最强；沙土的Fc最小，其对风力、地表条件的敏感度也最弱。     

Thermal behaviour of β-anhydrite CaSO<Subscript>4</Subscript> to 1,263 K

The thermal behaviour of β-anhydrite CaSO₄ has been investigated to 1,263 K in-situ real-time using laboratory parallel-beam X-ray powder diffraction data. The cell parameters expanded anisotropically, the c axis being the “softest”. This behaviour is due to the deformation of the CaO₈ polyhedron. In fact the two longest, independent, Ca–O bond distances show a significant component along the z direction.     

河北省北部张北县一带全新世中期砂层的成因

在冀北张北县发育一套特殊的砂层,因其内部赋存有数量众多的细石器而备受地质工作者的关注,但对其成因却有不同认识。从地层学、年代学、古生物学、砂粒表面及组合特征、砂体分布及产状等方面,对砂层进行了研究与分析。砂层分布于二级阶地或向阳低矮平缓山坡之上,临近水源,呈近东西向展布;堆积物呈灰褐色,分选性差、磨圆度差,不显层理,且其中含有细石器、陶器碎片、灰烬层等古人类文化遗存;粒度分析结果及扫描电镜研究表明,砂层形成于水动力条件中等的河流环境,后期又经过了改造;砂层之中富含丰富的哺乳动物化石及生成于温湿气候条件下的孢子花粉;测年资料证实砂层形成于全新世中期—全新世大暖期。诸多证据表明全新世中期砂层原始环境为河流环境,后期为古人类所利用,应为古人类活动而留下的遗存,属于人工堆积,为古村落遗址。     

Optical dating of liquefaction features to constrain prehistoric earthquakes in Upper Assam, NE India—some preliminary results

Optical dating of liquefied sand structures formed during major earthquakes in Upper Assam, northeast of India, has been carried out to constrain the timing of prehistoric earthquakes in this seismically active region. The bleaching of source material and of the same material during the creation of a liquefaction feature was tested using quartz extracted from 21 samples associated with two different liquefaction structures in Upper Assam. Due to the poor sensitivity of quartz from this region, a sensitisation procedure was used in our SAR protocol to reduce the scatter in optical ages. Various internal consistency tests of the measurement protocol and the excellent reproducibility of the OSL ages indicate that the dose estimates from the quartz are accurate and the optical ages reliable. The preliminary OSL ages indicate that the liquefaction features were formed between 1430 AD and 1630 AD. This study demonstrates that using OSL, ‘direct dating’ of prehistoric earthquakes may be possible, if sand blows from liquefied dykes are preserved.     

Embryo dune development on a large,actively accreting macrotidal beach: Calais,North Sea coast of France

Sediment budget data from an 18‐month topographic survey were analysed with data from brief experiments on wind parameters, beach moisture contents, bedforms and sand mobilization in order to monitor conditions and patterns of embryo dune development over a flat 150–1000 m wide accreting upper beach. The surface conditions over the upper beach locally affect aeolian transport, but net dune development over time depends on sustained strong winds and their orientation. Incoming marine sand supplied by storms and onshore winds is reorganized by the dominant offshore to longshore winds into elongated embryo dunes over this upper beach, imprinting a regional morphology of long‐term longshore dune ridge development. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Re‐shaping hysteretic behaviour—spectral analysis and design equations for semi‐active structures

Semi‐active dampers offer significant capability to reduce dynamic wind and seismic structural response. A novel resetable device with independent valve control laws that enables semi‐active re‐shaping of the overall structural hysteretic behaviour has been recently developed, and a one‐fifth scale prototype experimentally validated. This research statistically analyses three methods of re‐shaping structural hysteretic dynamics in a performance‐based seismic design context. Displacement, structural force, and total base‐shear response reduction factor spectra are obtained for suites of ground motions from the SAC project. Results indicate that the reduction factors are suite invariant. Resisting all motion adds damping in all four quadrants and showed 40–60% reductions in the structural force and displacement at the cost of a 20–60% increase in total base‐shear. Resisting only motion away from equilibrium adds damping in quadrants 1 and 3, and provides reductions of 20–40%, with a 20–50% increase in total base‐shear. However, only resisting motion towards equilibrium adds damping in quadrants 2 and 4 only, for which the structural responses and total base‐shear are reduced 20–40%. The spectral analysis results are used to create empirical reduction factor equations suitable for use in performance based design methods, creating an avenue for designing these devices into structural applications. Overall, the reductions in both response and base‐shear indicate the potential appeal of this semi‐active hysteresis sculpting approach for seismic retrofit applications—largely due to the reduction of the structural force and overturning demands on the foundation system. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Volcanic-sedimentary features in the Serra Geral Fm., Paraná Basin,southern Brazil: Examples of dynamic lava-sediment interactions in an arid setting

The formation of volcanic–sedimentary interaction features in extreme arid environments is not a commonly described process. Specifically the occurrence of dynamically mixed sediments and juvenile igneous clasts as peperites, for water has been considered one major important factor in the processes of magma dismantling and mingling with unconsolidated sediment to form such deposits. The study area, located in south Brazil, shows a sequence of lava flows and intertrapic sandstone layers from the Paraná Basin, associated with the formation of clastic dykes, flow striations, peperite and ‘peperite-like’ breccias. Four processes are suggested for the genesis of the peperites: (a) fragmentation of the flow front and base; (b) sand injection; (c) dune collapse; (d) magma cascade downhill. The continued flow of a lava, while its outer crust is already cooling, causes it to break, especially in the front and base, fragments falling in the sand and getting mixed with it, generating the flow front ‘peperite-like’ breccia. The weight of the lava flow associated to shear stress at the base cause sand to be injected inwards the flow, forming injection clastic dykes in the cooled parts and injection peperite in the more plastic portions. The lava flow may partially erode the dune, causing the dune to collapse and forming the collapse ‘peperite-like’ breccia. The shear stress at the base of a flowing lava striates the unconsolidated sand, forming the flow striations. The sand that migrates over a cooled, jointed lava flow may get caught in the cavities and joints, forming the filling clastic dykes. These deposits are analogous to those found in the Etendeka, NW Namibia, and show that sediment–lava interactions in arid settings are widespread throughout the Paraná-Etendeka province during the onset of flood volcanism.     

Effects of local site and building parameters on damage distribution in Angra do Heroísmo—Azores

During the M_w=6.9 January 1, 1980 earthquake in the Azores, the damage distribution in the town of Angra do Heroísmo, in Terceira Island, had a non-homogeneous spatial character. In order to understand the observed pattern of damage a microtremor survey was carried out, using ambient vibrations, and the data were analysed with the J-Sesame software, following the H/V Nakamura methodology. The results are in good agreement with the surface geology and they show a good correlation with the observed damages. Two building surveys were performed, in 1980 on damage evaluation and in 2000 on characterization of few building parameters. With all these elements (surface geology type, soil peak frequency, building type, number of stories and damage level) for 2111 buildings it was possible to perform several interparameter analysis, which enabled the identification of indicators that could be used to improve the damage estimation for future events.     

Intergrain contact density indices for granular mixes I： Framework

Mechanical behavior such as stress-strain response, shear strength, resistance to liquefaction, modulus, and shear wave velocity of granular mixes containing coarse and fine grains is dependent on intergrain contact density of the soil. The global void ratio e is a poor index of contact density for such soils. The contact density depends on void ratio, fine grain content （Cv）, size disparity between particles, and gradation among other factors. A simple analysis of a two-sized particle system with large size disparity is used to develop an understanding of the effects of Cv, e, and gradation of coarse and fine grained soils in the soil mix on intergrain contact density. An equivalent intergranular void ratio （ec）oq is introduced as a useful intergrain contact density for soils at fines content of less than a threshold value Crth. Beyond this value, an equivalent interfine void ratio （ef）eq is introduced as a primary intergrain contact density index. At higher values of Cv beyond a limiting value of fine grains content CVL, an interfine void ratio ef is introduced as the primary contact density index. Relevant equivalent relative density indices （Drc）eq and （Drf）eq are also presented. Experimental data show that these new indices correlate well with steady state strength, liquefaction resistance, and shear wave velocities of sands, silty sands, sandy silts, and gravelly sand mixes.